Two Cruise Ships Stuck in Port After Record Blizzard

“That’s not how the ships are supposed to look,” said one Facebook comment after photos of MSC Meraviglia were posted on the platform.

Normally a cruise ship’s lido deck is full of sun and excited passengers on embarkation day.  But after a powerful winter storm blew through the Northeast, at least two cruise ships look more like winter wonderlands. 

Update: Both ships are now out at sea, as each was allowed to depart from their ports in the late afternoon on Monday.

Passengers are bunkered down, waiting for their ship to depart for warmer climates.  Some have posted photos on social media which look completely surreal.

A powerful nor’easter, named Winter Storm Hernando, has caused a major headache and caused delays.  

Two cruise ships, Odyssey of the Seas and MSC Meraviglia, remain docked in New Jersey and New York as of Monday afternoon due to record-breaking snowfall and high winds.

MSC Meraviglia covered in snow:

See photos on Facebook of Odyssey of the Seas blanketed in snow here.

Current Status of the Ships

The storm, which brought 15 inches of snow to Central Park and caused a citywide travel ban in New York, has made it unsafe for large vessels to navigate the harbor. 

So basically, these vessels are stuck for now.

• Odyssey of the Seas (Royal Caribbean): Currently docked at Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey. The ship was scheduled to depart Sunday, February 22, for a 7-night Bahamas cruise. The departure is now delayed until at least late Monday or early Tuesday as crews wait for winds to subside.
• MSC Meraviglia (MSC Cruises): Currently docked at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. Originally set to sail Sunday afternoon, a passenger on MSC Meraviglia, Sean Johannessen, told Cruise Fever that the captain announced that the port will open back up at 4:00PM. While Nassau has been taken off the schedule, Port Canaveral and Ocean Cay are still on.

As a sidenote, passengers at least have something to do indoors while they wait for their ship to leave port.  All onboard services, including dining, entertainment, and staterooms, are fully operational for the passengers on board.

Itinerary Changes and Delays

As would be expected in a storm like this, delays have changed the itineraries for both ships.

Reports have stated that MSC Meraviglia will skip its stop in Nassau, Bahamas, so it can reach Ocean Cay later in the week.  Odyssey of the Seas will also face itinerary changes which should be announced soon.

More than 8,000 flights have been canceled across the Northeast since Sunday. This has prevented hundreds of “fly-to-cruise” passengers from reaching the terminals, even though the ships have not even left port yet.

Neither cruise line can move these ships yet until the U.S. Coast Guard and Port Authority lift the restriction on vessel movement in the shipping channels.

What Now?

Weather conditions are expected to improve late Monday evening. Once the Port of New York and New Jersey reopen and the Coast Guard clears the channels of ice and debris, both ships will be able to start their cruises.

Cruisers should monitor their cruise line’s mobile apps for real-time updates on departure times and itinerary changes, and we at Cruise Fever hope those ships can leave soon for warmer waters so all that snow (and anxiety) can melt away.